By Cammie Breuer, Arts & Culture Editor
Garret Edwards newest sci-fi flick, The Creator; is a thrilling take on how technology has permanently transformed our way of life. Other films of his include Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; Star Wars: The Last Jedi; and 2014’s Godzilla. This film has a small but star-studded cast including Allison Janney, who has starred in I Tonya and Juno. As well as Japanese actor, Ken Watanabe, who has appeared in Letters from Iwo Jima and Inception to name only a few. The hero of our action flick is portrayed by John David Washington, son of Denzel Washington, who’s known for his work in Tenet and Blackkklansmen. Despite being in the limelight his whole life, John David has seemed to be showing off his full potential only in recent years.
Edward’s latest film takes place in a futuristic, war-torn world. Artificial intelligence and human species turn on each other after a nuclear bomb is Los Angeles, California. Blaming AI, the American Military began to attack the simulants and a deadly war ensued. Though America was successful in killing off AI in their own country, it is not enough. Their next target is “New Asia”; a country where humans and AI chose to live together in peace and harmony. The government however believes that the AI are harboring a weapon that would wipe out the human population. Though this might be starting to sound like most other stereotypical action flicks, Edwards looks at this trope from a different angle.
Ex-special forces officer Joshua (Washington) is recruited back for this mission. In return for his assistance in obtaining and destroying the weapon, he will get the chance to rescue his wife who was presumed dead. Though the weapon was not at all what anyone expected a simulant would be built to look like, a child, he gives it the nickname Alfie. What makes Alfie so ‘dangerous’ is unlike other simulants, her knowledge and understanding have the ability to grow exponentially. It becomes immediately apparent that Alfie is a compassionate and caring child, with no real idea of what her full potential is. When Joshua initially kidnaps her, he plans to use Alfie to help locate the AI lab where his wife was last seen.
This movie clocked in at 2 hours and 15 minutes long, and though it flew by, the pacing of it felt perfect. It was both suspenseful and heartwarming in that Alfie soon begins to grow on him while Joshua begins to struggle between a sense of nationalism and his own moral values. The irrational fear of the unknown drives the manhunt for this child, and her eventual American accomplice. The contrasting characteristics between U.S military Colonel Howell (Janney) and simulant leader Harun (Watanabe) complicate the question of what it means to be a good “person”. Through all the gunfire, explosions, and robots, The Creator is a beautifully tragic tale of sacrifice, love, and honor. This film is still in theaters for a couple more weeks and I highly recommend giving it a watch.
